Synergy SYN-2 with Rocktron Chameleon into effects loop of amp

[Jackaria]

Hi everyone,

I’m new to the rack building world and wanted know of it was possible to run a Synergy SYN-2 with Rocktron Chameleon into effects loop of the Syn-2 into the effects loop of a Bugera Tri Rec? I know I could run the left out of the chameleon to the syn-2 input but I’d rather run it into the effects loop and keep it as clean as possible. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

So lemme get this straight.

SYN 2 FX Send > Chameleon > SYN 2 FX Return > SYN 2 out > TriRec FX Return
?

That should work fine.

 

[c7spheres]

Yes, what you're saying should work but be aware you might get a high noise floor when running that Chameleon because you're essentially running a preamp into a preamp. It's just gonna take some level balancing to get it to sound right without being noisy. If you're looking for a straight out effects processor check out the Intellifex and Replifex units from that era or an Xpression from later era. They're more suited for this application.

 

[Jackaria]

So lemme get this straight.

SYN 2 FX Send > Chameleon > SYN 2 FX Return > SYN 2 out > TriRec FX Return
?

That should work fine.

Thank you! I appreciate you.

 

[Jackaria]

Yes, what you're saying should work but be aware you might get a high noise floor when running that Chameleon because you're essentially running a preamp into a preamp. It's just gonna take some level balancing to get it to sound right without being noisy. If you're looking for a straight out effects processor check out the Intellifex and Replifex units from that era or an Xpression from later era. They're more suited for this application.

Thanks, I’ll look into those. Hopefully I can find them at a decent price.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Thanks, I’ll look into those. Hopefully I can find them at a decent price.

The Replifex/Xpression is great. I use a Replifex occasionally and love it.

 

[c7spheres]

Thanks, I’ll look into those. Hopefully I can find them at a decent price.

They've gone up a little bit in the last year since covid but are still a great deal for all the stuff you get. Very similar to Chameleon but without the preamp built inside. The Chameleon might work great for you too. Just gotta play with it to see if it works for you or not.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

They've gone up a little bit in the last year since covid but are still a great deal for all the stuff you get. Very similar to Chameleon but without the preamp built inside. The Chameleon might work great for you too. Just gotta play with it to see if it works for you or not.

Actually I was thinking about it, but does taking out the preamp completely remove it from the signal? IIRC that's how those old Rocktron units seem to work.

 

[c7spheres]

Actually I was thinking about it, but does taking out the preamp completely remove it from the signal? IIRC that's how those old Rocktron units seem to work.

Without looking at the manual and from what I remember you can't take the preamp out of the path in the Chameleon and Voodu Valve, but the Prophesy can for sure though.

 

[Shask]

Yes, what you're saying should work but be aware you might get a high noise floor when running that Chameleon because you're essentially running a preamp into a preamp. It's just gonna take some level balancing to get it to sound right without being noisy. If you're looking for a straight out effects processor check out the Intellifex and Replifex units from that era or an Xpression from later era. They're more suited for this application.

Yep, exactly. I have had a few Chameleons, and you cannot bypass the preamp and only use the effects. You are stuck with it, and it wont sound too good in the loop of another preamp.

The Intellifex or Replifex is what you want. Same type effects without the preamp. The Replifex is probably closer to the Chameleon than the Intellifex.

 

[c7spheres]

I still wish Rocktron (or is it Rocktorn now?) would just come out with the ultimate reissue processor that has everything I want inside; The Intelligent shifting of the Intellipitch, the Room sim of the Intelliverb, The delays and delay time and reverbs of the Intellifex XL, the EQ from the XL, the delay and reverb spillover, rotary, tremolo and other modulation from the Replifex etc. It would be the coolest thing but obvioulsy will probably never happen. I use to run Replifex, Intellifex XL and Intellipitch and Intelliverb all in my rack and regret selling them off, but at the time and the money involved couldn't justify keeping them. I'm not missing anything tone-wise though. It does sound better without running them all in series (or parallel for that matter), even though they are all the most clear processors I've heard for not messing with one's "core" tone.
I still use the Replifex but I'm always on the lookout for an XL, Intellipitch is awesome too but I can't justify the cost for how much I use the pitch shifter. By the time I add it up wether it's rack stuff, pedal stuff etc everything keeps pointing me in the AxeFX direction. The funny reality is that I only really use delay and reverb 99% of the time and rotary occasionally, so an XL is right up my alley. The rest of everything else is for messing around and one-off parts.

 

[Shask]

I still wish Rocktron (or is it Rocktorn now?) would just come out with the ultimate reissue processor that has everything I want inside; The Intelligent shifting of the Intellipitch, the Room sim of the Intelliverb, The delays and delay time and reverbs of the Intellifex XL, the EQ from the XL, the delay and reverb spillover, rotary, tremolo and other modulation from the Replifex etc. It would be the coolest thing but obvioulsy will probably never happen. I use to run Replifex, Intellifex XL and Intellipitch and Intelliverb all in my rack and regret selling them off, but at the time and the money involved couldn't justify keeping them. I'm not missing anything tone-wise though. It does sound better without running them all in series (or parallel for that matter), even though they are all the most clear processors I've heard for not messing with one's "core" tone.
I still use the Replifex but I'm always on the lookout for an XL, Intellipitch is awesome too but I can't justify the cost for how much I use the pitch shifter. By the time I add it up wether it's rack stuff, pedal stuff etc everything keeps pointing me in the AxeFX direction. The funny reality is that I only really use delay and reverb 99% of the time and rotary occasionally, so an XL is right up my alley. The rest of everything else is for messing around and one-off parts.

I wouldn't mind one of the fancy Intellifex versions, but they are probably going for more than it is worth these days. I also worry about the randomly cracking Microprocessor holder.

I like playing with these older units. I always rotate between my Intellifex, Replifex, MPX-1, and G Major 2. There is something fun about messing with these older more limited units. However, yeah, it is hard to compare them to my Axe-FX II. They all have their own mojo, and cool tones, but the Axe-FX definitely is the more modern unit. More options, better routing, better software, better switching, etc.... I kind of switch between all these units just for the fun of it. I mostly just use detune/chorus and delay and reverb. Pretty much one setting that is on all the time in the background.

 

[c7spheres]

I wouldn't mind one of the fancy Intellifex versions, but they are probably going for more than it is worth these days. I also worry about the randomly cracking Microprocessor holder.

I like playing with these older units. I always rotate between my Intellifex, Replifex, MPX-1, and G Major 2. There is something fun about messing with these older more limited units. However, yeah, it is hard to compare them to my Axe-FX II. They all have their own mojo, and cool tones, but the Axe-FX definitely is the more modern unit. More options, better routing, better software, better switching, etc.... I kind of switch between all these units just for the fun of it. I mostly just use detune/chorus and delay and reverb. Pretty much one setting that is on all the time in the background.

Oh no, you said MPX-1. I forgot about those. I wanna revist the MPX-1, MPX-g2, and PCM81. The reverbs were perfect for me. All these units were really cool and I had a lot of them for a short time but it always came down to never really needing all that stuff and it not justifying the costs (back then). It's funny how I stuck with a Replifex after owning Lexicon's, Eventides and Tc's, but it just does something for me. Now I'm looking at pedal's again, the AxeFX, Synergy. It's really messing with my gas filled head : )
-
- I haven't heard of the random cracking microprocessor holder. Is that the socket you're talking about? I know the orignal Blackface Intellifex's had a socket and I think that got changed on later units. I gotta look into the Replifex to see if the eeprom can be upgraded. I noticed my Replifex's are all v1.08 but one is v1.04. I want v1.08 in case I need it in the future.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

IIRC a lot of the guys who worked on those classic processors either work for ISP now or just do other things completely. Rocktron is either a shell of their former selves or pretty much dead. I do wish ISP can get a hold of some of those old algorithms and make a super-super multi FX unit. Like the Theta DSP but with just effects.

 

[Shask]

Oh no, you said MPX-1. I forgot about those. I wanna revist the MPX-1, MPX-g2, and PCM81. The reverbs were perfect for me. All these units were really cool and I had a lot of them for a short time but it always came down to never really needing all that stuff and it not justifying the costs (back then). It's funny how I stuck with a Replifex after owning Lexicon's, Eventides and Tc's, but it just does something for me. Now I'm looking at pedal's again, the AxeFX, Synergy. It's really messing with my gas filled head : )
-
- I haven't heard of the random cracking microprocessor holder. Is that the socket you're talking about? I know the orignal Blackface Intellifex's had a socket and I think that got changed on later units. I gotta look into the Replifex to see if the eeprom can be upgraded. I noticed my Replifex's are all v1.08 but one is v1.04. I want v1.08 in case I need it in the future.

The MPX-1 is the one I have messed with the most here recently. I haven't had it as long, and been trying to figure out how to use it, lol. I got a real clean one for cheap last fall ($140ish, not a scratch, still had plastic on display). I got one of the newer 24 bit ones. Most of the older ones are 18 bit. The biggest downfalls is it really needs a mixer, and you can't run pitch detune and chorus together. However, the detune is so lush you almost dont need the chorus. Plus, you can modulate the detune with a LFO, so it kinda makes up for that. The reverb is amazing of course. Darker, and more lush than a Rocktron. It can be challenging to run more than 2 effects at once in terms of getting the mix right. It also has ducking delay, which I prefer for delay. I do think it sounds better than many of the other units, but it is more limited, and a bigger PITA to work with.

Yeah, socket, lol. I couldn't think of the word. The Blackfaces, and Intelliverbs AFIK are prone to the socket cracking and then it is dead. Yeah, they ended up surface mounting it on the LTD and all later units I think. I wouldn't worry on a $120 Intellifex, but a $600 Intelliverb I would. Mine is a later Intellifex Online.

 

[Mourguitars]

Without looking at the manual and from what I remember you can't take the preamp out of the path in the Chameleon and Voodu Valve, but the Prophesy can for sure though.

Yes c7spheres is correct...the Prophesy you can for sure, i would run either My Piranha or JMP-1 into it sounded great...or a Sans amp, distortion pedal ect..hit a button on the front panel bypassed

Ya cant beat the old Rocktron stuff, back when they were cutting edge and had great techs. and before GHS bought them ..seen stuff in a magazine ad back in the day , make a long distance call , ask for directions or get a map and drive hundreds of miles just to buy it !...my gosh seems like yesterday lol

Every time im on Reverb , i always search old Rocktron gear...would buy a Intelliverb in a heart beat but prices sky rocketed in last last few years

Mike

 

[Elric]

So lemme get this straight.

SYN 2 FX Send > Chameleon > SYN 2 FX Return > SYN 2 out > TriRec FX Return
?

That should work fine.

Don’t do it like that. The Syn2 has an FX loop and an ‘Amp loop’ if your amp has an FX loop you can still use the Amp’s preamp like another Channel.
Run:
Inst->Syn2 In
Syn 2 FX Send ->FX Unit In
FX Unit Out->Syn2 FX Return
Syn2 Amp Out->Amplifier Instrument In
Amp FX Send-> Syn2 Amp Return
Syn2 Amp Send ->Amp Return

Like the other poster said, make sure you are not using any distortion/gain on the FX unit or it is gonna ruin it... If the Chameleon’s preamp cannot bypass it is probably not useful.

Signal levels can get pretty complicated/painful in these kind of rigs but they are pretty crazy powerful.

 

[Shask]

Yes c7spheres is correct...the Prophesy you can for sure, i would run either My Piranha or JMP-1 into it sounded great...or a Sans amp, distortion pedal ect..hit a button on the front panel bypassed

Ya cant beat the old Rocktron stuff, back when they were cutting edge and had great techs. and before GHS bought them ..seen stuff in a magazine ad back in the day , make a long distance call , ask for directions or get a map and drive hundreds of miles just to buy it !...my gosh seems like yesterday lol

Every time im on Reverb , i always search old Rocktron gear...would buy a Intelliverb in a heart beat but prices sky rocketed in last last few years

Mike

I love the old Rocktron stuff. I have been playing with my Intellifex and Replifex a lot the last few weeks. I always thought I would like the Intellifex better, but I am kinda liking the Replifex better. Great sounding if you are just looking for core effects that also don't mess up your core amp tone.